Sam Wu Becomes CEO of Rakuten Viki

Sam Wu has been promoted to CEO of Rakuten Viki, a video platform specializing in Asian series and movies.

Wu, who was most recently the company’s senior VP of finance, will take over the position from Interim CEO Masaya Ueno. Wu joined Viki in 2012 and played a key role in leading the acquisition of Viki by Rakuten in 2013.

Ueno will assume a new role leading Rakuten’s global media business group.

Wu commented: “I am excited for the opportunity to lead Rakuten Viki, with a renewed focus on delivering innovative product features, an unmatched user experience and a diverse programming lineup to our growing, global community. Over the past six years, I have had the pleasure of working closely with this highly-talented team, and I am enthusiastic for Rakuten Viki’s future as we continue to invest in our award-winning apps and expand our reach to fans around the world.”

President of Rakuten’s media and sports company, Makoto Arima, added, “We are excited to see Sam take on this new position. His experience at Rakuten Viki has laid the groundwork for what will certainly be a successful transition into the CEO role. His intimate understanding of the business today, combined with his insights into the market as a whole, ideally position him to lead the team toward further growth.”